Making Chips
Over 25% of all potatoes consumed in Britain are eaten as chips; the Brits love their chips so much that over 277 million portions are sold in fish and chips shops alone every single year.
Although some might feel daunted at the thought of making their own chips, it's really quite easy to do.
Potatoes for Chips
Choose potatoes that are neither too watery nor too high in sugar. This will ensure that the chip cooks to a lovely golden colour, along with giving it a mouth-watering crispy texture.
Good examples include:
*Cara
*Desiree
*Estima
*Fianna
*King Edward
*Maris Bard
*Maris Peer
*Maris Piper
*Pentland Dell
*Sante
*Saxon
*Wilja
Method
- Peel, and then cut the potatoes into 1 cm thick slices. After slicing, cut into 1 cm strips.
- Soak the chipped potatoes in cold water for at least half an hour to rid them of their surface starch. This will prevent them from sticking together when fried.
- Drain the chips thoroughly and pat them completely dry with a clean tea towel. This will prevent water from making the oil foam up, and will also ensure a lovely, crisp finish.
- Heat the oil to 170°C/ 340°F.
- Place the chips in a layer in the basket and lower into the fryer for 4-6 minutes. Lift them out just as they start to colour.
- Raise the oil temperature to 190°C/ 375°F and plunge the chips back into the oil for a further 2-3 minutes until they are golden brown.
- Drain well on absorbent paper.
- Season lightly with a little salt and serve immediately. Enjoy!
